1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a plural stage process for the production of tertiary butyl alcohol from isobutane. More particularly, this invention relates to a plural stage process for the production of tertiary butyl alcohol from isobutane wherein isobutane is initially noncatalytically reacted with oxygen to prepare a reaction mixture comprising tertiary butyl alcohol and tertiary butyl hydroperoxide and wherein the tertiary butyl hydroperoxide is subsequently converted to an additional quantity of tertiary butyl alcohol. Thus, in accordance with the present invention, isobutane may be noncatalytically reacted with oxygen to provide an initial liquid reaction product comprising tertiary butyl hydroperoxide and tertiary butyl alcohol. All or a portion of the initial reaction product may be thereafter brought into contact with a soluble peroxide decomposition catalyst in a first decomposition zone in order to convert a portion of the tertiary butyl hydroperoxide to tertiary butyl alcohol and to provide a second liquid reaction product. The second liquid reaction product may be further treated in a second decomposition zone with a soluble hydroperoxide decomposition catalyst to decompose residual quantities of hydroperoxide in order to provide a substantially peroxides-free tertiary butyl alcohol product which may be used, for example, for reaction with methanol in a methyl tertiary butyl ether reaction zone to produce methyl tertiary butyl ether. A portion of the tertiary butyl hydroperoxide from the initial liquid reaction product may be used as a feedstock for an epoxidation reaction process for converting propylene and tertiary butyl hydroperoxide to propylene oxide and tertiary butyl alcohol.
2. Prior Art
It is known to noncatalytically react isobutane with oxygen in the liquid phase in order to provide a reaction product comprising a mixture of tertiary butyl hydroperoxide and tertiary butyl alcohol as illustrated, for example, by Winkler et al. U.S. Pat. No. 2,845,461.
It is known to react isobutane with oxygen in the presence of a soluble homogeneous peroxidation catalyst in order to provide a reaction product comprising tertiary butyl alcohol and residual tertiary butyl hydroperoxide as shown, for example, by Grane et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,294,999, and Grane et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,262.
It is known to prepare tertiary butyl alcohol by the catalyzed decomposition of tertiary butyl hydroperoxide as shown, for example, Sanderson et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,266, Sanderson et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,910,349, Sanderson et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,267, Sanderson et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,922,033, Sanderson et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,922,034, Sanderson et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,922,035, Sanderson et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,922,036, Sanderson et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,992,602, and Sanderson et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,113.
It is known to use tertiary butyl hydroperoxide prepared by the oxidation of isobutane as a feedstock, together with propylene for epoxidation reaction process wherein the propylene and tertiary butyl hydroperoxide are converted to propylene oxide and tertiary butyl alcohol as shown, for example, by Marquis et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,093,506 and Marquis et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,530.
It is known to use tertiary butyl alcohol obtained by the oxidation of isobutane as a feedstock, together with methanol as a feedstock, for an etherification reaction process wherein the tertiary butyl alcohol and methanol are reacted to form methyl tertiary butyl ether.